Germanys higher education institutions enjoy an excellent reputation.

Teaching and research provide key impulses

for innovation and progress. German universities combine research and studies and have been the scene for groundbreaking discoveries such as the printing press, computer and mp3 that have become inseparable parts of our
modern lives.
Every year, thousands of international students and scholars choose to study in Germany. There are very good
reasons for this. These include among others International Programmes taught in English medium, excellent quality
of education, no tuition fees, promising career opportunities and above all the vibrant social and cultural milieu.

How do I choose a university in Germany?

There are various kinds of institutions of higher education in Germany. A majority of these belong to either of the
following categories:
Universities (including Universities of Technology, abbr. TU) are research-oriented and offer a wide variety of
subjects. These can award doctorate degrees.
Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen, abbr. FH), on the other hand, are practice-oriented and offer
courses mainly in engineering, business administration, social sciences and design. These have strong links to the
industry and offer possibilities like joint supervision of the professor and a company for a master thesis.
Fachhochschulen do not award doctorate degrees, however as a master degree holder from a Fachhochschule, one
is in principle eligible to apply for PhD at a university.
Your interest and inclination should define which of the two kinds of institutions you choose!

Which is the best university in Germany?

Germany offers a multidimensional ranking , considering various criteria that are important from a students
perspective. For example, student and staff judgments on quality of teaching, atmosphere at the university, library
and other equipment, student numbers, average study duration, number of graduations, third party funding etc. You
thus get a detailed picture of the strengths and weaknesses of each university on www.university-ranking.de Here
you can find your programme by selecting a subject, a university or even a city in Germany!

What kind of master programmes does Germany offer?

There is wide range of study programmes with

English as the sole or primary medium of instruction, called International Programmes. A database of
such programmes is available here.

German as the medium of instruction.

A comprehensive database of all study programmes, in both German and English, is available on www.studyin.de.

Am I eligible to apply for a masters degree course?

In Germany, every university is autonomous. This means that every university / study programme has its own set of
criteria for admitting students. So please check the university website, and specifically the programe you are
interested in to find out the exact admission requirements.
Some generalisation is, however, possible and one can say that as a four-year Bachelor degree holder from
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal or Sri Lanka, your degree is treated at parwith a German bachelor degree and
most universities will consider you eligible for masters provided you fulfill other criteria. In case you have a three-year
Bachelor degree, do get in touch with course coordinator before applying.
Some universities may ask for your TOEFL/IELTS/GRE/GMAT scores, depending upon the subject you choose to
study. For example, GMAT may be asked for if you want to study economics or law. Universities will ask for very good
German language skills in case you want to take up a programme in German medium. In such case, your knowledge
of German needs to be certified through examinations like the TestDaF or DSH.

How do I go about applying?

October-November

Collect general information from the DAAD, internet and brochures.

Attend information sessions at the DAAD closer to you! We have our offices
in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Dhaka.
Or attend internet-based seminars (webinars) organized by the DAAD.
Details about all information events are available here.

January - March

Contact the selected university. This will be your most important source of information as far as exact details
about eligibility, course duration, fee, application procedure etc. are concerned.

Check the application deadline for courses chosen!

March - June

Send the application packet.

The website of the course / university you have chosen will carry details about application procedure to be
followed. Accordingly, send your application either to the university or toUNI-ASSIST.
UNI-ASSIST is a body that accepts your application, screens it and forwards it to its member universities of
your choice against payment. Member universities of UNI-ASSIST often do not entertain direct applications.
So please check well before you send in your papers.

If you have chosen a university that is not a member of UNI-ASSIST, send your application directly.
Application forms and other relevant material can be downloaded from the internet.

Make sure you have a valid passport!

July

Apply for a student visa as soon as you have the admission letter, as the procedure can take around two
months. The German Embassy and the Consulates require proof of funding for the first year of studies. To find
out where you should apply for a visa, the website of the German Embassy in your country.

Apply for a place in a hostel. In some cases the International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) of the
university will help you.

September - October

Arrive in Germany at least a week before your course begins.

Contact the International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) of your university for guidance.

October - December

Get your residence permit within the first three months of your stay in Germany from the Foreigners'
Registration Office (Auslaenderamt).

As you can make out, this timeline refers to courses beginning with the winter semester (October March). In case
you find a course that begins with the summer semester (April September), just calculate the months accordingly
and proceed!
Here we would like to reiterate that you should necessarily check the websites of / contact the organisations
mentioned above for specifics.

Do I need to know German?

As you have already read, Germany offers numerous International Programmes with English as the sole or primary
medium of instruction. But as a student in Germany, your life will not be limited to the university campus. You will
surely want to interact with people, do your internships, travel through the country-side and make the best of your
time there. This is where knowledge of German will present a great advantage!
Universities offer beginner and well as advanced level courses where you can learn German. You can also start
learning the language while you are still in your home country at theGoethe-Instituts (Max-Mueller Bhavan) / GoetheZentrums.

What kind of budget should I have in my mind?

In Germany, education is subsidized by the state and therefore state-funded institutions of higher education
charge no tuition fee. Thus, in Germany virtually every student gets a scholarship! Ceryain specialised
courses and courses offered by private universities can attract fees.
You will need to pay semester contribution of around Euro 50 to 250, depending upon the university and the
services or benefits provided. For certain special courses you may need to pay higher fees.
Apart from the tuition fees, if any, you will require about Euro 670 per month for subsistence i.e. housing, food,
clothing, study material and other expenses such as health insurance and leisure activities. This amount can vary
from city to city, and of course from lifestyle to lifestyle!

Are there any scholarships available?

Funding in Germany is available in principle for research and in some cases at the master level. Check Scholarship &
Funding for current offers by DAAD. To get a comprehensive overview of various funding possibilities, click here.

Can I work in Germany as a student and later as a professional?

As an international student, you are permitted to work for 120 full days or 240 half days in a year. This will help
you in getting a bit of extra pocket-money! After completing your degree in Germany, you can stay on in the country
for up to 18 months to look for a job that is in keeping with your education. Once you find a job, the residence
permit issued to you for the purpose of studying, can be converted into a residence permit for taking gainful

employment. Germany has always had a very strong industry-academia linkage. A lot of scientific research is funded
by the industry as well. During your studies you can get the opportunity to do internships with German companies,
which can open new vistas for your professional career.

Where can learn more about students' experience in Germany?

If you want to know more about universities and student life or read what other international students have to say
about Germany, check out the DAAD Young Ambassadors page.